Self-locking hinge.



v w. E. NORTON.

SELF LOCKING HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE II, 1918.

1,294,301 Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

Unveil-I01;

I MMAWS ED STATES WALLACE IE. NORTON, OF GRETNA, NEBRASKA.

SELF-LOCKING HINGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

Application filed June 11, 1918. Serial No. 239,422.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALLACE E. NORTON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Gretna, in the county of Sarpy and State of Nebraska, have invented-new and useful Improvements in Self-Locking Hinges, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention comprehends generally improvements in that class of inventions known as builders hardware and more particularly to a self-locking hinge.

It is the primary aim and object of this invention to provide a device of the above mentioned character designed for movably connecting the sections to each other to permit of the folding of the sections or the extending thereof, while the construction is such that the parts automatically look when placed in an extended position to maintain the sections of the article, such as a window screen in a rigid position.

More particularly, this invention contemplates the provision of a hinge of the above mentioned character wherein the leaves are formed with pivoted ears which are in turn formed with notches while cooperating therewith is a locking member or catch designed to automatically engage the notches in the ears when the sections are placed in an extended position to insure of the maintenance of the sections or leaves in such position.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a device of the above mentioned character wherein the locking member or catch is of novel construction and is peculiarly mounted to insure of effective operation.

Among the other aims and objects of this invention may be recited the provision of a device of the character described with a view to compactness, and in which the number of parts are few, the construction simple and the cost of production low and the efliciency high.

Otherimprovements and novel details in the construction and arrangement of the various parts of the apparatus will be brought out more in detail in the description to follow, which for a clear understanding of the invention should be considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and wherein is disclosed for the purpose of illustration a convenient and satisfactory embodiment of the invention. It is to be noted in this connection that minor changes in the construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the principle of operation of the various parts.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the invention applied on a window-screen.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the invention detached.

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of the device detached and shown in a partly folded position, and Fig. at is another perspective detail of the device shown in an extended and locked position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective detail of one of the leaves.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective detail of the head of the locking member.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now, more particularly, to the accompanying drawings there is illustrated a window-screen which consists of a frame 1 for receiving a piece of screening 2, the frame embodying vertical side bars 3, and cross bars composed of sections 4 and 5, the opposed ends of which are connected to the upper and lower ends of the side bars while the adjacent ends of the sections are movably' or pivotally connected to each other through the instrumentality of improved hinges 6.

In the present instance each of these hinges consists of leaves 7 and 8 to be formed preferably of sheet-metal, the leaves being countersunk in the sections 4 and 5 and retained therein by means of suitable panels which pass through openings 9 and maintain the outer side edges of the leaves substantially flush with the sections. Semicircular ears extend from the outer side edges of the leaves near the adjacent ends and lie in the plane of the leaves, being designed to receive a pintle 11 so that the leaves and consequently the sections are pivotally connected relative to each other. The ears, of course, project beyond the face of the section and are formed with notches 12 which are positioned in substantial alinement with the outer side edge of the leaves and register with each other when the leaves are in an extended position.

With a view toward providing the improved means for locking the leaves in an extended position another ear 13 extends at right angles from the outer side edge of the leaf near the opposite end while rigidly connected through the instrumentality of rivet 14k to the under surface of the ear is the improved locking member or catch indicated in its entirety by the numeral 15. This catch is stamped froma piece of sheet metal and consists of a shank 16 on the inner end of which is formed a loop or ear 17 which is engaged by the rivet 14. Formed on the outer end and inner side edge of the catch is a head 18 which is provided at its outer edge with a slot 19. The outer end of the slot is enlargedto form a shoulder 20. The head is accommodated within a recess 21 in the adjacent side edge of the leaf 7 while the slot in the head is straddled about the ears, the shoulder being normally engaged in the alining notches 12 to maintain the sections in extended position but it is apparent by pressing the finger piece 22 formed on the side edge of the shank toward the adjacent leaf 7, the shoulder will be moved from the notch in the ear on the leaf V 8 while the restricted inner portion of the slot 19 will be straddled about the ear on the leaf 8 to permit of the relative movement of the sections.

In use, assuming that the parts have been assembled in the manner described and as indicated in the drawing, for instance Fig. 1, when it is desired to place the screen in a window-frame the finger-pieces 22 are pressed to move the shank 16 toward the leaf 8 to consequently allow the ear 10 on each leaf 8 to move through the restricted portion of the slot 19 in the adjacent head. Of course, the sections 4 and 5 move with the leaves 7 and 8 and subsequent to the positioning of the vertical side bars 3 between the sash-guides, the sections and the leaves are moved into an extended position and as soon as the notches 12 aline with each other the catch will move automatically to position the shoulder 20 in engagement with both of the notches so as to lock the leaves and the sections and maintain the same in an extended position.

It is believed in view of the foregoing description that a further detail description of the operation of the invention is entirely unnecessary. Likewise it is believed that the advantages of the invention will be readily apparent. In this connection however, it is to be noted that the self-locking hinge is of such a construction that it may be conveniently-used for fastening the sections of a sectional rule and various other be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limited sense. It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters-Patent, is

1. A hinge of the character described including a pair of relatively flat leaves formed with ears lying in the plane thereof and pivotally connected together, the ears having notches therein registerable with each other when the leaves are in extended position, and a resilient catch connected to one of the leaves and formed with a slotted head straddled about the ears and normally engageable with the notches when the notches are registered to maintain the leaves in an extended ind locked position but being movable at times to permit of relative movement of the leaves.

2. A hinge of the character described con sisting of a pair of relatively flat leaves formed with ears lying in the plane thereof, the ears being pivotally connected together and formed with notches registerable with each other when the leaves are in an extended position, another ear extending at an angle from one of the leaves, a resilient locking member including a shank connected to the last inent-ioned ear and a head formed with a slot for straddled disposition about the ears vand positioned to allow relative movement of the ear, the outerv end of the slot being engaged to form a shoulder which automatically engages the notches upon registering the notches for maintaining the leaves in an extended and locked position, and a finger piece on the shank for moving the shank toward the adjacent leaf to aline the restricted end of the slot with the car on the other leaf so that the leaves may be moved relative to each other.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

WALLACE E. NORTON.

Copiesof this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, ,Washington, D. G. V 

